Sport

Egerton celebrate Hamer Cup triumph

EGERTON won the Hamer Cup for the first time in 15 years last night, when they completed a weather-delayed 25-run victory over Greenmount at Kearsley ’s
Springfield Park.

Defending a total of 193, which they set on Sunday before rain interrupted the Bolton League ’s showpiece final which had been postponed
the previous weekend, they sealed victory when Stuart Hornby bowled Greenmount skipper Mark Stewart with the first ball of the final over.

Greenmount, the holders, started the third session last night on 92-4 with high-scoring opener Andy Kerr still at the crease on 36.

But when he went for 45, trapped lbw by Amal Dalugoda whose figures of 4-37 from 20 overs earned him the man-of-the-match award, Egerton sensed they were in the ascendancy.

Their innings had been underpinned by a terrific knock of 94 by their Sri Lankan professional Amal Athalathmudali and, with their tidy bowling, they frustrated Greenmount.

The Bury side were still in with a shout, however, and a knock of 36 by Phil Heaton made life uncomfortable for a time for their Blackburn Road rivals.

But when Heaton became one of Athalathmudali’s two victims, it left the tail-enders with too much on their plate.

Stewart faced the final over with Greenmount needing 26 for what would have been a heroic victory, but it was not to be.